Compare towns
Putney vs Dracut vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Putney | Dracut | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622 |
32,574Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313 70% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 70 in VT | #201 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dracut | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.